O CRB recebe o Guarani neste sábado (23), às 17h (Brasília). A partida é válida pela 29ª rodada da Série B do Campeonato Brasileiro e terá transmissão da Band e do Premiere.
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+ Condição especial para matrícula no curso Gestor de Futebol, aprovado por Dante, Petković, Léo Moura e outros craques. Saiba mais!
O clube alagoano vem de derrota para o Juventude na última rodada, mas vive bom momento. A goleada por 6 a 0 contra o líder Vitória ainda segue fresca na mente da torcida, mas com o resultado negativo para os gaúchos, viu a diferença para o G4 aumentar para seis pontos.
Em uma sequência de três vitórias seguidas, o Guarani quer continuar vencendo e se tornar líder do campeonato. A fase positiva começou no clássico contra a Ponte Preta, venceu por 1 a 0, placar que se repetiu contra a Chapecoense. No último jogo, vitória maiúscula contra a Tombense por 3 a 0, no Brinco de Ouro da Princesa.
+ Abel Ferreira, técnico do Palmeiras, é denunciado pela Associação Brasileira de Árbitros
Data e horário: 23 de setembro de 2023, às 17h Local: Estádio Rei Pelé, em Maceió, Alagoas Onde assistir: Premiere e Band
PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES
CRB Diogo Silva; Hereda, Gum, Fábio Alemão, Edimar; Falcão, Lucas Lima, João Paulo; Léo Pereira, Renato e Anselmo Ramon. (Técnico: Daniel Paulista)
GUARANI Pegorari, Diogo Mateus, Lucão, Alan Santos e Mayk; Matheus Bueno, Matheus Barbosa e Bruninho; Bruno José, João Victor e Derek. (Técnico: Umberto Louzer)
Crystal Palace have been one of the form teams in the Premier League this term and could now look to the top-flight for a Marc Guehi replacement.
Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi responds to transfer speculation
Plenty of speculation followed Crystal Palace star Guehi around this summer. Nevertheless, a last-minute move to Liverpool fell through for the England international, who is out of contract at Selhurst Park in 2026.
In an open conversation surrounding his future, the former Chelsea man made it clear on international duty that his only priority at present is focusing on securing his place in England’s World Cup squad.
He said: “For me, it doesn’t really matter, to be honest. As long as I’m playing well and helping Palace, there’s definitely an opportunity for me to be here as I am today.
“Whether it’s sorted or not, it’s not really the most important thing to be honest. Personally, I don’t know if I can think that far ahead. I like to just take it step by step, and that is just focusing on the games that I have at Palace and any upcoming opportunities I have here.”
Oliver Glasner has also been targeted by Nottingham Forest due to being out of contract next summer. Ultimately, Crystal Palace are a club on the up, and others are keen to prize away their main assets after an excellent start to the Premier League campaign.
Talks on: Crystal Palace lead Wolves to sign "finisher" who shocked Chelsea
Negotiations have been opened.
ByCharlie Smith Oct 1, 2025
Rumours are unlikely to die down if success is continually delivered at Selhurst Park. Either way, putting contingencies in place to prepare for the future will be a key part of their upcoming plans.
With that in mind, Crystal Palace have identified a potential replacement for Guehi should clubs continue to make their interest in his services known.
Crystal Palace want to sign Max Kilman to replace Marc Guehi
According to Football Insider and journalist Wayne Veysey, Crystal Palace want to sign West Ham defender Max Kilman to replace Guehi, and they could now make a January move to try and secure his services.
However, any deal will be a difficult one to do amid Nuno Espírito Santo’s admiration towards the defender, who was a key part of his Wolverhampton Wanderers side when both worked together at Molineux.
Five similar players to Max Kilman (FBREF)
Scott McKenna
Dinamo Zagreb
Ko Itakura
Ajax
Marc-Oliver Kempf
Como
Kialonda
Lecce
Kevin Danso
Tottenham Hotspur
The London-born man is under contract at West Ham until 2031 and arrived at the Hammers for £40 million on a contract worth £100,000 per week, hence why it may take a significant push to tempt Kilman into crossing the divide.
Making eight appearances this term across all competitions, the 28-year-old has been ever-present on the left-hand side of their backline, and it now remains to be seen whether he would be open to a change of scenery.
Crystal Palace could well mount a credible challenge for the European places this term and Kilman could be tempted by the prospect of replacing such a key figure, though it will be interesting to see if Guehi is sold in January to make room.
It is also worth noting that quality strikers, like Villa’s Ollie Watkins, have called Kilman a “top player”.
After Liverpool lost for the second time in the space of a few days courtesy of Galatasaray, Jamie Carragher has called for one of Arne Slot’s biggest stars to be dropped.
Slot "disappointed" again by Liverpool
After needing late goals in several of their opening games to salvage victory, something seemed off about the Premier League champions. They looked vulnerable and defeat seemed inevitable. The late goal simply wasn’t always going to arrive. And, as expected, Crystal Palace have since exposed that uncomfortable fact for Slot’s side.
The Eagles stole the late show from the Reds to hand them their first defeat at the weekend and Galatasaray have now followed suit to deal Slot back-to-back defeats for just the second time in his Liverpool career. For many, the decision to award Galatasaray a first-half penalty was contentious, but that shouldn’t have been that for Liverpool, who never truly reacted to going behind.
Having his say on his side’s defeat, Slot told reporters: “Again, disappointed. For me, this was a different performance on and off the ball [than Crystal Palace]. First half, we played quite well and had a big chance to go 1-0 up.
“It is difficult to compare this situation to before. We are sometimes a bit outsmarted in situations like this, and I cannot blame Dominik Szoboszlai for the situation. They make a 20% penalty a 100% penalty, which is very smart from them.”
Liverpool star who's "on par with Salah & VVD" had his worst game under Slot
Liverpool endured a night to forget as they were beaten by Galatasaray in the Champions League.
ByAngus Sinclair Oct 1, 2025
It doesn’t get any easier for the Reds, either. They travel to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday and club legend Carragher has already called on one player to be dropped against the Blues.
Carragher calls for Liverpool to drop Wirtz
In a brutal assessment, Carragher called for Liverpool to drop Florian Wirtz “right now” following another disappointing display from the £200,000-a-week German. The former Bayer Leverkusen star is without a goal or assist since the Community Shield and is struggling to get up to speed at Anfield.
Whether it’s been out wide or in midfield, it’s hard to argue with Carragher’s verdict. Something is wrong with this Liverpool side and it’s only natural that the blame goes the way of the £116m midfielder who hasn’t contributed since Wembley.
Slot certainly has a big decision to make. A few, in fact. As the Chelsea game approaches, Liverpool must lay down a marker as Premier League champions.
Celtic did not have a perfect summer transfer window, as they failed to land any strikers on deadline day, but they did do some good business on the whole.
Bringing Kieran Tierney back to the club on a free transfer from Arsenal was arguably the highlight of the window on paper, six years on from his £25m move to Arsenal in the summer of 2019.
The Scotland international was the first signing of the window and the highest-profile addition to the squad to replace Greg Taylor for Brendan Rodgers.
How Kieran Tierney has performed for Celtic
Expectations were, understandably, high for the left-footed star after what he achieved during his first spell at the club, and the fact that he has played in the Premier League and LaLiga over the past six years.
The 28-year-old full-back has not had a perfect start, losing 100% of his ground duels in the second leg against Kairat for example, but that should have been expected given his injury issues in recent years.
Tierney missed 45 matches through injuries in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 campaigns combined, per Transfermarkt, but he has still shown glimpses of the quality that he can provide, with an excellent assist against Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership.
Whilst it has been exciting to see such a high-profile player return to Celtic this season, Tierney is not the most valuable full-back in the squad – Alistair Johnston is.
Celtic have hit the jackpot with Alistair Johnston
Ange Postecoglou signed the Canada international from Montreal for a reported fee of £3.5m in January 2023, and the Australian head coach hit the jackpot for the club with that move.
The impressive right-back, whose work rate was hailed as “phenomenal” by Rodgers, has gone on to play 115 times for the Scottish giants in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, and registered 22 assists.
Johnston did not have a Transfermarkt market value at the time of Tierney’s £25m move to Arsenal in 2019. Now, six years later, the Canadian star is worth even more than the Scotland international.
August 2019
£25m move to Arsenal
N/A
July 2020
£24m
£43k
May 2021
£28m
£2m
May 2022
£28m
£2.5m
June 2023
£21m
£6m
March 2024
£10m
£7m
October 2024
£9m
£8m
June 2025
£8m
£9m
As you can see in the table above, the 26-year-old star is worth more than the Scottish defender for the first time in their respective careers, which speaks to his rise and the fall of the left-back.
This also shows that the Hoops hit the jackpot with the right-back because his value has soared from £3.5m to £9m in less than three years, making him a far more valuable asset than he was when they signed him from the MLS.
Johnston, who is currently out injured, has proven himself to be a huge attacking threat from right-back for Celtic, creating 15 ‘big chances’ in 30 league starts last term, per Sofascore.
His superb performances on the pitch for the Scottish giants have led to his market value soaring to the point that he is now worth even more than Tierney, who was once a £25m-rated player.
Sold by Rodgers, now worth £22m more: Celtic messed up with prolific star
Celtic must regret selling this star who is now worth over £20m more than the fee they received for him.
1 ByDan Emery Sep 4, 2025
Overall, Postecoglou hit the jackpot for Celtic by signing him from Montreal and the club will be hoping that he can continue to deliver on the pitch to increase his value by even more.
It has been a dire start to the 2025/26 season for Aston Villa. Unai Emery’s side have picked up a single point so far this term, and are yet to score a goal, three games into the new campaign. It is a worrying sign.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery watches on.
Of course, losing players like Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio, who were both on loan for the second half of last season, has impacted them.
That is why, on transfer deadline day, the West Midlands side are pushing for a new attacker.
Aston Villa’s latest attacking target
With the transfer window set to slam shut at the earlier time of 7pm, it does not give Emery long to add an attacker to his squad.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Fabrizio Romano is reporting that there are ongoing ‘negotiations’ for Villa to sign Manchester United star Jadon Sancho today, amid the prospect of Emi Martinez heading in the other direction.
Both clubs are attempting to secure an ‘agreement’ on those deals.
Romano explains that the England international ‘has to decide his future today’, and a move to Villa Park could offer a viable solution. A fee of £20m was quoted for the forward earlier in the window, and that could be a fee Villa need to pay themselves.
Why Sancho would be a good signing
Described as a “maverick” in his younger days by former coach Louis Lancaster, Sancho’s career trajectory has perhaps not gone as expected. His time at Old Trafford has been far from easy, although he did impress on loan at Chelsea last season.
At 25 years of age, Sancho has bags of Premier League experience now. He’s featured 89 times in the English top flight for the Red Devils and Enzo Maresca’s Blues, with 12 goals and 11 assists coming in that time.
Of course, the London-born star became known thanks to his sensational time at Borussia Dortmund. Over two spells in Germany, Sancho played 158 games, scoring 53 times and assisting 67, helping win the DFB-Pokal in 2020/21.
Well, this would be a move similar to one Villa made in January, when they brought Asensio in on loan from Paris Saint-Germain.
The former Real Madrid star enjoyed a successful loan spell at Villa Park for the second half of last season, where he was able to get his career back on track after falling out of favour in the French capital.
Marco Asensio & Marcus Rashford for Aston Villa
Asensio only played 21 times for the club, but had a huge impact on Emery’s attack. He was deadly in front of goal, bagging eight times, and chipped in with an assist, too.
It is easy to see why Sancho could be the second coming of Asensio at Villa Park. Both players have somehow seen their careers take a bit of a downward spiral, falling out of favour at their respective clubs.
Yet, with the Spaniard able to play regular first-team football and become a key player for Villa, he bolstered his stock once more. It is easy to see how Sancho could do the same.
Their numbers from last season are similar, too. For example, Sancho averaged 1.94 key passes and 2.3 take-ons completed per 90 minutes.
In comparison, Asensio notched up an average of 2.12 key passes and 1.06 completed take-ons each game.
Sancho vs Asensio
Stat (per 90)
Sancho
Asensio
Key passes
1.94
2.12
Progressive passes
4.59
5.36
Take-ons completed
2.3
1.06
Progressive carries
5.2
2.72
Ball recoveries
5.05
3.05
Stats from FBref
Sancho could certainly become Villa’s new Asensio and really get his career back on track at Villa Park. He is clearly a talented attacker who could thrive in the pockets for Emery and help revitalise a struggling Villa attack, which is missing Asensio’s impact.
Next Rashford: Aston Villa exploring late deal for "special" £31m star
Aston Villa could seal a sensational last-gasp deal by snapping up this special attacker.
The summer of the saga is finally over, but it’s difficult to know how Newcastle United supporters will feel about it.
On deadline day, Alexander Isak joined Liverpool for a reported fee of £125m, including add-ons, which makes this a British transfer record.
The Swede has, quite publicly, been on strike all summer as he attempted to force through this move to Merseyside, skipping the Magpies’ pre-season tour of Asia and also not turning up to the PFA awards, where he was named in the team of the season.
As a result, the Geordie faithful have completely turned against Isak, making it frankly unfathomable that he would ever play for the club again, so most will be glad to see him gone, albeit their team are losing arguably the best striker in the Premier League.
Isak's Premier League record before joining Liverpool.
The Magpies have signed two very expensive strikers to fill his void, it remains to be seen if they’ll come good, but the astronomical fees being paid by all clubs this summer has only underlined the fact that Newcastle struck gold snapping up their talisman.
Newcastle's Isak replacements
On Saturday, Newcastle announced the signing of striker Nick Woltemade, arriving from Stuttgart for an initial fee of £65m plus up to £4.3m in add-ons.
This time last year, barely anyone had heard of Woltemade, considering he’d scored just two top division goals during his time at Werder Bremen.
However, the 23-year-old really burst onto the scene at Stuttgart, netting 18 times in just 36 appearances for die Schwaben, including scoring during each round of the DFB-Pokal, breaking the deadlock against Arminia Bielefeld in May’s final, as his side won the competition for the first time since 1997.
He then further enhanced his reputation during this summer’s U21 European Championships, bagging a hat-trick during Germany’s tournament opener against Slovenia, picking up the golden boot by netting six times in total, as die Mannschaft were defeated 3-2 by England in the final in Bratislava.
Stuttgart's Nick Woltemade
Standing at 198 cms (6 ft 6 in) tall, he is nicknamed “Woltemessi” due to his perceived good touch for a big man, so it’ll be fascinating to see how he fares on Tyneside.
That is not all, though, because on deadline day, Newcastle also finally completed the signing of long-term target Yoane Wissa.
The DR Congo international himself had gone full-Isak at Brentford, refusing to play as he pushed for a move, but the two clubs agreed a fee of £55m on Monday, after bids of £25m and £40m had both been rejected earlier this summer.
Wissa leaves West London as Brentford’s all-time leading scorer in the Premier League, having been on target 49 times in all competitions for the Bees, 19 of which came in the Premier League last season, a tally only bettered by Mohamed Salah, Isak, Erling Braut Håland, Bryan Mbeumo and Chris Wood.
At 28 years old, however, £55m for Wissa, when you’ve also just signed another striker for around £70m, does seem very high, further underlining how much of a bargain Newcastle’s talisman has proved to be.
Newcastle talisman signed for a bargain fee
Back in October 2021, the Saudi Public Investment Fund completed their £305m takeover of Newcastle United and, after swiftly replacing Steve Bruce with Eddie Howe, they wanted to make a splash in the transfer market.
During that first January window, with the Toon Army very much embroiled in a relegation battle, having won just one of their first 20 fixtures, the new owners spent big to ensure Premier League survival.
Four new signings arrived for a combined £90m, namely Chris Wood, Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn and Bruno Guimarães, and the latter instantaneously became a cult hero on Tyneside.
To date, Guimarães has made 147 appearances for the Magpies, scoring 23 goals and registering 24 assists, playing an instrumental role in the team that won last season’s EFL Cup, ending the club’s 70-year wait for major domestic silverware.
The table below emphasises his importance to Newcastle.
Guimarães 2024/25 stats
Statistics
Guimarães
NUFC rank
Minutes
3,844
2nd
Goals
5
7th
Assists
8
4th
Shots
54
4th
Completed passes
1,481
3rd
Key passes
52
1st
Passes into final third
180
1st
Progress passes
271
1st
Shot-creating actions
133
1st
Big chances created
13
2nd
Tackles
83
1st
Interceptions
33
3rd
Ball recoveries
188
2nd
Touches
2,213
3rd
Avg Sofascore rating
7.22
3rd
As the table reinforces, Guimarães is pivotal to everything Newcastle achieve; ranked first by every passing metric, while also in the top two for out-of-possession statistics, tackles and ball recoveries, producing goals, assists and chance creation at the other end of the pitch too.
The £40m paid to Olympique Lyonnais to secure his signature has turned out to be a complete bargain, especially considering his current estimated transfer value is around £69m.
Bruno Guimaraes
For comparison, new signings Woltemade and Wissa are valued at around £26m and £27.6m respectively, substantially lower than the fees Newcastle have paid.
His international teammate Casemiro is certainly a fan, stating that Guimarães has been “exceptional” at Newcastle, adding that he is a “great player who has been demonstrating this in the most difficult league in the world”.
Thus, now that Isak has finally departed Tyneside, the Brazilian midfielder is ready to step up and be Newcastle’s talisman, leading them into a Champions League campaign, with Barcelona the first visitors to St James’ Park on 18 September; what a tie that’ll be.
Imagine him & Bruno: Newcastle lodge bid for "one of the world's best DMs"
Newcastle are looking to sign one of the best midfielders on the planet to partner Bruno Guimaraes
Arsenal chiefs were recently handed the chance to sign a Chelsea star this summer, with sporting director Andrea Berta and the Gunners recruitment team delivering a clear response.
Mikel Arteta’s side have spent north of £200 million this window – an outlay signaling major ambition ahead of another Premier League title challenge.
Arsenal manager MikelArtetaduring a lap of appreciation after the match
There’s still interest in Eberechi Eze, with reports suggesting the player is keen on the move, but there’s still been no official bid to Crystal Palace. Arsenal are still in dialogue with the 27-year-old’s representatives (Fabrizio Romano), though, so a move for Eze remains on the cards as we enter the final three weeks of the summer.
Interestingly, BBC journalist Sami Mokbel doesn’t see it happening unless Arsenal can sell players first, namely Leandro Trossard.
They’ve also been linked with Rennes defender Jérémy Jacquet recently, who’s believed to be debating his long-term future after Arsenal’s approach for the 20-year-old recently (Graeme Bailey).
In a major boost for Arteta, the north Londoners brought an end to their long search for a new number nine.
Gyokeres
Viktor Gyokeres sealed a blockbuster move from Sporting CP to the Emirates Stadium late last month, in a deal worth up to £64 million with bonuses included following weeks of back-and-forth negotiations.
It’s a major statement from Berta, who was thought to be a big admirer of the 27-year-old and prioritised him over fellow top striker target at the time, Benjamin Sesko (Simon Phillips).
Gyökeres netted 54 goals in all competitions last season – numbers that made Europe’s elite take notice, but Arsenal ultimately won the race.
He arrives as the long-term solution through the middle, and has been handed the iconic No.14 shirt, once worn by Thierry Henry. Gyökeres has big shoes to fill, and the Sweden international will be desperate to get off the mark as soon as possible.
Arsenal needed firepower, and they’ve got it.
Interestingly, Berta was actually handed the chance to sign another rival centre-forward before agreeing a deal for Gyokeres.
Arsenal's response after being offered Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson
That man was Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson, who’s now set to leave Stamford Bridge and become one of the next moving number nines in this summer’s striker domino (Fabrizio Romano).
According to CaughtOffside, Arsenal turned down the chance to sign Jackson this summer after being offered the chance to do a deal, which also comes as good news for Newcastle, who’ve held informal talks with the Senegalese and have less competition in pursuit of his signature, with Man United also signing Sesko.
The 24-year-old did command a valuation of £80-£100 million, according to Sky Sports, but it is now believed that Chelsea could sanction his sale closer to the £56 million mark.
Joe Cole has actually called Jackson one of Chelsea’s “most important” players, but their deals for Joao Pedro and Liam Delap means his place in the first team is no longer cut and dry, with an exit firmly on the cards.
The current norm is for the chair and independent director to serve three terms of two years each
ESPNcricinfo staff21-Oct-2024
Jay Shah will start his job as ICC chair on December 1•Getty Images
Jay Shah could end up being the ICC chair for two terms of three years each instead of three terms of two years each, which is the current norm, after he takes over on December 1. This after the ICC Board, which met in Dubai over the weekend, recommended that the term – for the chair and the independent director – be changed.In a statement on Monday, the ICC said that the recommendation will now be “circulated for approval” among its members, comprising Full and Associate Members.While no reason behind the recommendation was made public, it is understood that the move is part of the ICC’s drive for better governance. The ICC Board believes it will provide security and stability to both the chair and independent director, who sit on the ICC Board, without having to worry about elections every two years. Also, while the overall term of six years remains the same, there will be more continuity.Shah, who is 35, was elected unopposed to replace outgoing ICC chair Greg Barclay, who has served two of his three terms since being elected in 2020 for the first time. The independent director’s position, meanwhile, has been lying vacant since former Pepsico chair Indra Nooyi finished her three terms earlier this summer.There were changes to the ICC men’s cricket committee, too, with New Zealand businessman Scott Weenink appointed Full Member representative, and Scott Edwards, the 28-year-old Netherlands captain, named Associate Member representative.In a statement issued by the Royal Dutch Cricket Association*, Edwards said, “I am extremely excited and grateful to have the opportunity to join the ICC Men’s Cricket Committee. Having been in the ICC Associate Member system, and playing with and against many Full Member and Associate Member sides over the past six years, I believe I have a good understanding of the challenges Associate countries and players face. I look forward to representing these countries to the best of my ability.”The women’s FTP – the second, after the one announced in 2022 – will be out soon•Getty Images
Women’s FTP for 2025-2029 to be out soonThe ICC Board has approved the next women’s future tours programme (FTP) for the 2025-2029 cycle, which will be announced in a few days. It will be the second FTP for women following the one announced in 2022.The ICC chief executives’ committee (CEC) also approved shifting the calendar for the women’s rankings annual update from October 1 to May 1 each year. In order for the rankings to reflect, the teams will have to play a minimum of eight matches per format (ODIs and T20Is) as opposed to the six currently. This is because of the increase in the volume of women’s cricket.The mechanism for Associate teams to gain ODI status has also been formalised. Currently, there are 16 women’s teams with ODI status. Apart from the 11 Full Members, five Associate Members – Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, Thailand and USA – were included in the 2022-2025 cycle. For the 2025-2029 cycle, the top-two Associate teams that qualify for the women’s ODI World Cup qualifier 2025 will gain ODI status, while the remaining three slots will be filled based on the T20I rankings at the time of annual update [May 1, 2025]. This will mean that their ODI status will hinge on their T20I performances.The creation of two annual T20I tournaments between 2025 and 2028 for Associate teams has also been approved. This is to boost competition ahead of the 16-team women’s T20 World Cup in 2030.
A first-team Glasgow Rangers player could now seal a return to his former club during the summer transfer window, according to their technical director.
Rangers players who could leave this summer
The Russell Martin era is now in full swing at Ibrox, with the Englishman looking to make his presence felt from the off, bringing in players who suit his style of play and selling some unwanted stars.
Ross McCausland is one player who falls into the latter category, with Aris Limassol and two teams in the MLS among the clubs who are believed to be interested in snapping up the Northern Irishman before the end of the summer transfer window.
Rangers forward Ross McCausland.
Meanwhile, Mohamed Diomande and Nicolas Raskin could leave Rangers for pastures new if big offers arrive in the coming weeks, with Besiktas expected to submit a new bid for the former imminently, though Martin would presumably like to keep them both.
Gers centre-back Robin Propper has been a divisive figure since arriving from FC Twente, not always fully convincing the masses with his performances, and a new update has now emerged regarding his future.
Propper could swap Rangers for Twente
Speaking to De Volkskrant [via Sport Witness], Twente technical director Jan Streuer has claimed that Rangers defender Proppper could seal a return to the club this summer, should Martin not see a future for him at Ibrox.
“We had too many changes at the back last season; something had to be done. It isn’t [very simple], because of all sorts of factors beyond your control. Just before last season, our captain, Robin Propper, left at the last minute. We really missed him. Rangers bought him.
“A Scottish top club, you can’t compete with that. Now there’s a new manager at Rangers, he might play less. Then he could return. But he’ll want to wait and see first whether he’ll actually play less. Do we have to decide: do we wait for that, or do we look further?”
Robin Propper
Opinion may be split over Propper leaving Rangers before the new Scottish Premiership season gets underway, with his one-year stint at Ibrox not exactly earth-shattering to date. Ultimately, though, the 31-year-old’s future lies with Martin, who has paid him praise in the recent past, saying he has been “really impressed” with him since coming in as manager.
Given Propper’s age, though, and the fact that he isn’t likely to be seen as a key starter moving forward – he was limited to 21 starts in the Scottish Premiership last season – now does feel like a sensible time to move him on, receiving money for him before his contract begins to tick down.
Streuer does seem to have some doubts about Twente re-signing Propper, however, and if he does end up staying at Rangers, it certainly wouldn’t be a disaster.
Sunderland supporters will be trying to hold back their excitement ahead of the new Premier League season finally kicking off.
There’s no guarantee in place that signings galore will improve your chances of staying afloat in the tricky division, with Ipswich Town picking up 14 total purchases last season and still managing to fall through the relegation trapdoor.
But, the star-studded quality of signing Sunderland is managing to attract makes being giddy quite hard to contain, with the standout £20m purchase of Enzo Le Fee getting the ball rolling this summer, whilst a £30m deal for Habib Diarra to join from Strasbourg edges ever nearer to completion.
Reinildo is also set to join the Stadium of Light ranks after allowing his Atletico Madrid contract to expire, with plenty more notable names being tipped to call Wearside their fresh home shortly.
Atletico Madrid'sReinildoMandava before the match
Transfer latest at Sunderland
Most Sunderland supporters would have been initially apprehensive about all the business being conducted in this hectic transfer window, considering the window opened with both Jobe Bellingham and Tommy Watson deserting the Stadium of Light.
Now, however, the mood has flipped, with the likes of Georgian superstar Georges Mikautadze being tipped to join Le Bris’ enthused ranks alongside those already named, on top of an alleged £17m bid being lodged by the Black Cats to snap up Nantes attacker Matthis Abline.
The most intriguing purchase of them all could soon come in the form of Almeria goal-machine Luis Suarez moving to England, with reports from Spain now suggesting that Sunderland have enquired about landing the explosive attacker.
Such a deal would result in the Black Cats having to fork out £21m, with the La Liga 2 side upping their transfer valuation off the back of Suarez’s impressive 2024/25 offering.
It could even be argued that snapping up the clinical Colombian would see the newly promoted side land an even bigger talent than Diarra, despite the Senegal international costing Sunderland a club-record £30m to snap up.
Why Suarez could be a bigger talent than Diarra
After all, whilst Diarra was able to boast four goals and five assists from the midfield areas last season for Liam Rosenior’s men, Suarez’s numbers up top for Almeria in another demanding European setting are an even more majestic sight to take in.
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Indeed, the “crazy” South American – as he was once labelled by talent scout Jacek Kulig – would take La Liga 2 by storm with his devastating goalscoring prowess.
That was seen in him collecting 27 of his bumper 31 strikes in the second division, away from also netting four of those efforts in the challenging Copa Del Rey when facing off against opponents from La Liga.
Games played
41
Goals scored
27
Scoring frequency
135 mins
Assists
8
Big chances missed
27
Staggeringly, Suarez would also chip in with eight assists across his 41 La Liga 2 outings, which is three more assists than Diarra managed in the heart of Strasbourg’s midfield, with the hope that the dangerous Almeria marksman can offer up similarly deadly displays when leaping up to the Premier League.
He could instantly displace Wilson Isidor on his arrival, therefore, considering the Frenchman blew hot and cold last campaign with just 13 Championship goals next to his name, away from Suarez wreaking havoc in the Spanish second division.
On the contrary, it doesn’t feel as set in stone that Diarra would instantly dive into Le Bris’ XI – irrespective of his lofty price tag – with Dan Neil already at the Frenchman’s disposal centrally who collected five goal contributions himself last season in league action, alongside Le Bris also possessing the star-quality of Le Fee who could kick on even more up a division.
Whilst Diarra will no doubt go on to be a success story under the ex-Lorient manager’s wing if Le Fee’s trajectory is anything to go off of, it does appear as if Suarez could really burst into life even more as a terrifying goalscorer on Wearside, with his blistering introduction into the English game perhaps helping the Black Cats to maintain their fraught Premier League status.
Better signing than Diarra: Sunderland now targeting "fantastic" £18m star
Sunderland’s rapid summer business is showing no signs of slowing down as a new target now appears on their shopping list.